The Northern California Resistance
by jmanus707
Summary: "Aegroto dum anima est, spes est." As long as there is life, there is hope. Almost two years after the invasion of California, groups across the state are starting to rise, putting into motion events that will forever change the occupation. Rated T temporarily for violence and language, will be M by the end. Please comment. I will add more.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1:  
December 24, 2026**

****The sun rose over the Korean People's Army, or KPA, depot just like every other morning. Freshly fallen snow glistened in the sunlight as the Korean soldiers made their morning patrols. This particular depot was used for traffic and arms transport. An unheard shot buzzed through the air and sliced one of the soldiers throats, which sprayed a crimson mist onto the flawless white snow. Alarms sounded and the soldiers fired bullets in all directions. This didn't discourage the shooter as round after round found their marks, dropping the soldiers like stones. The screams of the dying Koreans was drowned out by a re-purposed Black Hawk helicopter that had started to circle the depot. Little did they know that the gunman had broke into the airbase and put explosives on the helicopter the night before. A fiery explosion blew the helicopter into pieces, sending metal and burning fuel raining down.

The concealed gunman emerged from the spider hole he dug during the night. He was covered from head to toe with a winter ghillie suit and shouldered a suppressed winterized CheyTac M-200 sniper rifle. A quick peak through the powerful scope revealed that the KPA depot had been decimated. A hasty retreat was in order because reinforcements were surely on their way.

It had been one year and eleven months since the Greater Korean Republic invaded California. You can only oppress somebody for so long before they rebel. The KPA had always been able to suppress and deny uprisings from the various settlements they control, turning it into propaganda. The lone gunman sped past empty and destroyed buildings and wrecked vehicles. He passed a gas station, $19.58 per gallon of regular, that is, when they had gas to sell. Far out into the outskirts of Gold City, ironically named because of a large pyrite deposit, was his base of operations. Once underground in the bunker, he took off his ghillie suit, revealing a dirty face with a short scraggly beard and some scars. His hair was brown and cut short. The name on the breast pocket of his BDU jacket read: MANUS. Joseph Manus had been an Airforce para rescue trooper before the economic collapse. He was given an honorable discharge after being injured by an IED blast, ending his three year career.

On two of the tables in the bunker were components and materials for the construction of IEDs. On another table were various weapons and equipment used for the guerrilla warfare he waged on the KPA. Pinned to the wall where various notes with information on KPA supply routs, one of which was the schedule for prisoner transport convoys, the closest was tomorrow. Joseph stared at the paper for a few seconds.

"Oh boy, do I have a surprise for you," he muttered, before going to bed to get some rest for tomorrows raid.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2:  
December 25, 2026**

Joseph woke up in a more cheery mood than usual, whistling a Christmas tune. A small tree decorated with Korean dog tags stood in the middle of the bunker. Underneath was a plethora of equipment, including a fresh set of BDUs, various IEDs, a backpack, ammunition and a PWS Diablo personal defense weapon, all put there the night before. A devilish ear-to-ear grin covered Joseph's face as he geared up.

"Marry Christmas to me," Joseph said.

According to the information on the schedule, the convoy would consist of, in order, a re-purposed Humvee, the prisoner bus, a troop transport, and one more Humvee. Pretty much a small army. Joseph grabbed a shoulder patch from a drawer in a large oak desk. Across the top in gold lettering, the patch read, "Aegroto Dum Anima Est, Spes Est", it was Latin for, "as long as there is life, there is hope". This was the motto Joseph has lived by for the past thirteen years, this was the patch worn by his team from the Air Force.

The site that Joseph would ambush the KPA was haunting. Dried blood covered the area from many executions. After about thirty minutes of setting the explosives, it was time to wait. Joseph pulled a picture from his pocket, it was a woman. She was blond and in her twenties with fair skin and a bright smile. He stared at the picture, putting him into a trance.

***Flashback***

Joseph and the blond woman were driving home a long day on the coast. She leaned over to him and spoke softly into his ear.

"Promise me that no matter what happens, we'll always stay together and be strong."

She was referring to the economic crisis that they were currently going through. Joseph put his hand on her stomach, she was pregnant.

"As long as there is life, there is hope," they both smiled.

When she leaned over to kiss his cheek, a blinding white flash erupted in the sky. The car that they were in came to a rolling stop, as did every other car on the road.

"Wait here," Joseph stepped out of the car to see what had happened.

A strange roaring sound got louder and louder until a massive Boeing 727 came into view, crashing into the mountain side in a violent and fiery explosion. Pieces from the explosion flew in all directions. Several people were screaming as a second plane crashed even closer to where they were. The deafening explosion caused Joseph's ears to ring as he was knocked off of his feet in the violent shock-wave.

***End Flashback***

Joseph looked up from the picture in time to spot the convoy a short distance away. He put the picture back into his pocket and racked the charging handle on his gun, preparing for the assault. For a moment there was complete silence as the convoy got closer. As the first Humvee passed over the IED he had deployed, it detonated and tore the vehicle to pieces. Troops poured from the transport to secure the area and the other Humvee spun its gun up.

"Marry Christmas ass-holes," Joseph whispered as he turned on a remote control.

Out of the bushes emerged an MQ50 MG "Wolverine" UVG. It resembled a small tank without the main gun. Instead, it had a mounted M249 SAW machine gun, controlled by the operator. The Korean red star was painted over with an American flag. It fired a massive belt of ammunition that tore the soldiers to pieces, sending blood and limbs in all directions. The Wolverine turned its gun on the other Humvee, but was no match for the armor plating. The Humvee on the other hand, with its tri-barreled .50 cal API machine gun made short work of the Wolverine, putting it permanently out of commission. Joseph had one more trick up his sleeve, an RPG launcher he stole from a patrol. The high explosive warhead melted through the armor plating and essentially burnt the occupants to death. Joseph laughed a little, then checked the bus. To his surprise, it was completely empty! He stared in shock then realized it was a trap. A Korean Z-10 Chimera attack helicopter was circling in the air and a T-99 tank was approaching on the road.


End file.
